THIS year is shaping up to be interesting politically.
All three levels of government go to the polls this year.
Two out the three levels of government have fixed terms.
The South Australian election will be held in March and councils go to the polls in November – what’s unknown is the timing of the federal election, that’s up to the Prime Minister.
There is no shortage of controversy at all levels.
Some claim the State Government has handled the pandemic well, while others believe the State Government has opened the borders too soon and let Covid-19 infiltrate an unprepared SA.
Locally, the State Independent Member for Mount Gambier has been charged with deception concerning the MP’s Country Members Allowance and the Liberal Member for MacKillop Nick McBride has threatened to leave the Liberal Party but fell in line after securing a monthly meeting.
At the local government level, the City of Mount Gambier has been shrouded in secrecy in releasing details about the cost and operation of its recreation hub.
Wattle Range Council was going to close Millicent’s saleyards while wanting to build itself a new council office at a cost of more than $5.5m – not to mention spending $160,000 on a sculpture of a white hand that no one knows what it represents.
Also, in the lower South East – the District Council of Grant.
Some would say the council is dysfunctional.
The council has successfully moved two motions of no confidence in the mayor and is preventing him from representing council as its spokesman.
In addition, councillors walked out of a meeting in protest bringing a stop to the business of representing those who elected them.
At the Federal level, the Member for Barker Tony Pasin holds a strong margin and would be hard to beat.
Mr Pasin sits in the far-right camp of the Liberal Party and has created many enemies within.
While not perfect, our democracy is the best in the world but will only keep working if its people participate in it.
Good spirited debate is a healthy one – bring on 2022 – the year of the elections.
